Around the Pacific Question
 

Sorry if its already been posted. I have a question about the Around the Pacific flights and the dreaded Fly America Act which I am bound to.

I am going to Sydney in March for work, and usually buy a AA codeshare flight on quantas for around 12~14k using our "corporate discount". Terrible I think. I am allowed to take different flight/route back if the total cost are less. Last time I flew out to SYD took a flight to BKK at my expense and flew Cathay Pacific back using AA's codeshare.

I just learned about the Around the Pacific Flights and tried my best to learn its rules. Called the AA travel desk and asked if I could get an AA coded flight from Sydney to either BKK to NRT to be compliant with the FA Act. Guy named Mike was really rude and was asking me why I wanted to make it complected, guess I didn't express what I wanted to do well.

My question goes out to ask if anyone has done an around the pacific on on one world or *A within the confines of the Fly American Act? IF so, please tell me how you did it. Thanks!

1. There is no "u" in QANTAS
2. Could you give a run down of the Fly America Act please.
3. A Business class Circle Pacific (DCIRCx) fare should be a lot less than $12 - $14k.
4. Check out the price of a DCIRCx fare ex BKK (its about half the above price).
5. Even a First Class Circle Pacific fare might come in less than your price above (if you buy it in the right place).
6. I'm not aware of AA codeshares from Oz to SE Asia (unfortunately), but a check on "classavailability" might give a clue.

Certainly no expert, but I think I understand...

You don't have any business purpose to go somewhere in Asia that would allow you to come home via the North Pacific - which you have to do with the Circle Pacific product. Is your only business stop in SYD? Could you justify a business stop in any city in Asia? If so, there are plenty of AA codeshares from most cities served by CX or JL.

If there was such a justification, then you might have an out...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fly_America_Act

1. No worries!
2-5. I know it should be, basically the rate we have is a way to legally subsidize the airlines without going through the public eye.
6. That is what I really want to find, looks like UA out of SIN is closest i found.

#6 is the 12k question...



EDIT: Gardyloo, I like that you are thinking whole picture. Sadly only place is SYD :-(. I think the only American Code Share flights go back to LAX, SFO or HNL I'll have to play with the flights, and annoy some agents again and report my findings :-)

I just checked the SYD and MEL airports departures baords for the next three days and the AA codeshares were to AKL, SFO, HNL, LAX.

I thought maybe there might have been an AA codeshare on flights to NRT (AA sells fares to the US via Tokyo in conjunction with Qantas) but there doesn't seem to be any. (I know you want BKK but just I cjecked NRT out of interest.)

I thought the same. The QF operated flights between AU and South East Asia/Japan don't have AA codes. Only QF and JL codes on the direct AU-JP flights and QF, BA or JL codes via BKK and SIN.

A SYD-NRT flight would likely be covered in the AFA Exception, but without a business reason to be in Asia, it's not likely the the US Government would pay for the ticket.

As a general rule, I don't know of any AA codes on routes that don't (a) immediately connect from, or connect to, an AA-metal flight, and/or (b) begin or end in the USA. Thus there are QF flights carrying AA codes to and from the USA, or CX flights carrying AA codes between HKG and, e.g. BKK where one immediately can get off or on an AA-coded (CX) flight from/to the USA. But a case of, e.g., SYD-BKK, no AA codes, since one can get to BKK on an AA code more directly via NRT or HKG (thus there are AA codes on the relevant CX or JL flights.)

The Circle products allow for open (surface) segments although you have to count the miles. You might ask if you could get away with a self-purchased ticket to, e.g., DPS (around $400 on Jetstar) from which there are AA codes on CX to LAX, SFO, or JFK all via HKG. That would satisfy the North Pacific crossing requirement of the product. Maybe you could time it to have a couple of days in Bali - hard duty.

I think that's right. The only exception seems to be AA codes on QF flights across the Tasman from SYD to AKL etc - they don't connect from AA metal per se in SYD (but do connect from the AA code-share)

Open Skies?
 

Post #12 of
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/qanta...-qf-metal.html
might lead to a workaround?

There are also AA codes on some domestic AU flights such as CBR-SYD, but they are timed for connections to QF11, 107, 3 and 73 - US bound flights which have AA codes.

Thanks for all the usefull suggestion. It looks like the best thing I can do fly to Perth, then take a "Surface" Segment as Gardyloo suggested to one of the Malaysian/Indonesian Cities that have AA Flight # on a Cathay Pacific Flight. www.skyscanner.com was helpful in determining the path to take, while following the mandated "American Flight" rules.

When you say "the AA travel desk," is this the general AA reservations number, or the Around the World desk? For Circle Pacific (or other around-the-world fares), always call the RTW (or ATW) desk. If you get an agent who is rude, or who doesn't seem to want to help, or whom you have trouble communicating with, politely end the call and call back. Just say "OK, thanks, let me think about it." Call back, and hopefully you'll get someone more helpful.

The RTW desk is (800) 247-3247. I think they may have fewer than 20 agents, so it's possible to get the same agent when calling back, but it's much more likely that you'll get someone else. Most of the agents there are very knowledgeable and will work with you to meet your needs, even though it may be difficult to find a solution. Some are less so, unfortunately.

There are a number of ways to inexpensively make that trip. DRW-SIN might be cheaper (assuming an LCC flight would be acceptable) if there is a SYD-DRW code share flight. Though you would find a stop in Perth more interesting :p:D

It's a pity that you can't find some business justification for the Middle East or Europe - whereupon a DONEx would be a cheaper option.

I'd love to see some AA code shares on BKK/HKG/SIN-LHR. Oh I just woke up....

Happy wandering

Fred

Thanks to everyone for their input.

I talked to someone helpful at the RTW desk. They informed me that I can not use the AA codeshare flight numbers on the segments, so I would have to take the flight number of the actual airlines flying, so I couldn't even use AA flight numbers to fly to Sydney (since its all Qantis planes).

Looked into the *A and it was almost a go since they fly lots more routes on American carrier planes. Still cannot do this because there is no American Carrier flights from the Southpacific/Aus region to Asia and cannot do an open jaw across zones. Would be able to go through Guam if it was not considered the US zone and not Asia. I might of lucked out by having to goto Korea immediatly after Australia and get onto one of the exclusions.

Basically, those bound by the fly America Act cannot do the circle pacific bt flying all american carriers on either OW or *A. :(

This seems strange, as my recollection is that they prefer to book using AA code shares, but will ticket as the operating carrier if need be.